Former Prime Minister of Montenegro Zdravko Krivokapić accused the "Newsmax Balkans" television station of cutting out parts of the "Perspektiva" show in which he was a guest, in which he spoke about, as he said, the incorrect and surprising statement of Serbian Patriarch Porfiry during his stay in the Kremlin.
"Which parts were cut out? Those that speak about the incorrect and surprising statement of Patriarch Porfiry during his stay in the Kremlin, and which concern two positions:
1. His unfounded statements that Serbia is experiencing a so-called color revolution and that Western services are behind it. 2. Reactions to interference in the political affairs of Montenegro, which is inappropriate and unprecedented in practice.
"I linked these two positions to the personal relationship between the patriarch and Aleksandar Vučić (President of Serbia), emphasizing that the patriarch, in relation to his president, positions himself as his debtor, which is why he promotes the policies he leads. I hope that the upcoming Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) will also address these issues," Krivokapić emphasized in a statement.
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He added that he also warned of the possibility of shifting the problem to the region, in order to mask the developments in Serbia.
"I called on everyone not to be slaves to the authority of position, especially believers, but to always turn to the authority of arguments. In this context, I quoted Holy Patriarch Pavle, who said: 'Once we had wooden vessels and golden priests, and today we have golden vessels and wooden priests.' Honor to the exceptions," said Krovokapić.
He stated that the unusual censorship he faced after appearing on the show 'Perspektiva' conditioned his speech.
He also said that on the one hand, he would like to inform the public about the unwanted situation that a certain media outlet had put him in, and on the other hand, to point out the increasingly frequent media censorship as a direct attack on human rights and freedoms.
"Censorship, there is no doubt about it, has existed since the existence of information. Its goal is always the same - to remove from the public space a topic, an individual, or information that the current government considers harmful to its interests. When I responded to an invitation for an interview with the respected journalist Nemanja Živaljević, I had no idea that I would soon be a victim of censorship myself, as a guest on the show Perspektiva. Believing in the expertise of journalist Živaljević, and therefore in his good intentions, I did not take into account the ownership of the new media outlet NewsMaxBlakan. I must admit that this is my mistake and omission, because it is common knowledge that there is a chain of power in the media that starts from the owner (the person who orders it), through the editor, to the journalist who today, in most cases, unfortunately, is the one who serves the power of individuals, regardless of the fact that by his vocation he should serve the truth. It is also important to point out that before the interview, I asked how long the show would last and received the answer - 1 hour," said Krivokapić.
He added that this was the main reason for not rejecting Živaljević, because he considered any time interval under an hour to be limiting.
"The interview was conducted on Thursday, April 24.04th, starting at 10:30. The fact that I greeted them, wishing them to be the light of truth, sounds like irony to me today, from which I was miles away at that moment. I watched the show on Saturday, at the scheduled time, and in accordance with the program schedule. It is an understatement to say that I was surprised. Shock, astonishment, and disbelief mixed together in me when I learned that my interview had been shortened by almost 10 minutes," said Krivokapić.
The former Prime Minister of Montenegro said that the interview was recorded in a studio in Podgorica and lasted exactly 58 minutes and 42 seconds, adding that it is not difficult for even a layman to conclude where the "scissors" were working.
Krivokapić also said that intellectual property could be discussed in this situation, because, as he says, he was not in a marketplace where the editor chooses which of the interviewees to show and which part of their statement to publish.
"I insisted with the editor that I get the entire show. Unfortunately, I was not heard, although I am convinced that I have the right to do so. My right should have been exercised in a mutual agreement, and no part should have been excluded without my knowledge and approval. If, by some chance, the interview was too long - then someone did not communicate the planned and realized time well. Of course, in this situation, one cannot speak of a contractual relationship, but there are still two parties and they function at least at the level of professional ethics, which implies the necessity of coordination. The Constitutions of Montenegro and Serbia (because the editorial office is in Serbia) prohibit censorship. Since the existence of censorship is obvious, the violation of the Constitution is also obvious," said Krivokapić.
He said that he does not agree to any censorship or targeted information, because, as he says, he has chosen to serve public interests for the common good.
"We must raise awareness among all of us and demand that the media report credibly. Our obligation to future generations is to fight for honest media to inform us, because this is a prerequisite for all civil and human freedoms, as well as strengthening and preserving democracy," said Krivokapić.
"Newsmax Balkans" has not yet commented on Krivokapić's accusations.
"Vijesti" sent questions to that television station asking whether Krivokapić's claims were true.
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